ORIGIN

Light Restoration Candidate: Dusty 1974 Jensen Interceptor MkIII

This 1974 Jensen Interceptor is a late production MkIII which is said to have formerly served as transportation for a couple of Canadian snowbirds who used to spend their winters in Arizona. Running with 95k miles when it was parked or put on blocks back in 2001, the car still appears complete, although it’s definitely a project. The only noted modifications are a different carburetor, a stainless steel exhaust system and a replaced fuel tank, the seller further claiming no rust which is at least partially reinforced by photos of the undercarriage. This one’s going to take some work, but seems to be a far better starting point than most. Find it here on Craigslist in Phoenix, Arizona for $13,500.

Paint is said to be original, and this color looks like factory-offered Copper with a pinstripe down the beltline. Everything has been baking in the Arizona sun for quite some time now, but trim looks to be in decent shape and could clean up nicely. The front end isn’t shown in any detail, but elsewhere all of the important parts appear to be present like the wraparound rear glass and various small pieces like badges.

The factory louvered hood remains present, and things look complete on the driver’s corner of the front end. The car is pictured with and without a factory set of wheels. Photos of the undercarriage show dirty but otherwise sound looking underpinnings which appear free of heavy corrosion.

Girling disc brakes came fitted from the factory all around, and were pretty advanced for their time when many cars were still fitted with drums. This photo with the wheel removed shows underpinnings that will likely clean up well, although new rubber is going to be needed in many places.

The interior is described as being the worst part of the car by the seller, but it actually presents far better than that of many other project Interceptors. The dash is warped with several cracks, breaks and tears, while wood trim on the center console appears to be a lost cause. Upholstery is under covers, but we wouldn’t hold our breath. The good news is that instrumentation, switchgear and other controls don’t look particularly bad, and door panels are likely serviceable as well.

Raising the hood reveals a dusty but otherwise factory looking Chrysler 440 wearing factory Jensen rocker covers. Originally equipped with a 4bbl Carter carb, output was somewhere between 250 and 280 HP, with at least 330 lb. ft. of torque for 1974. The transmission is a 727 TorqueFlite which routes power to the rear wheels through a leaf-spring rear axle with a limited slip differential. The car is not currently in running condition, but the seller says if interest proves strong enough, they will drain the old fuel and attempt a start.

Records show 409 of these cars were delivered to North America, while 190 total were built for the 1974 model year. Hopefully this one is as good as first impressions suggest and someone snaps it up for a mild, sympathetic, use-focused refurb.